Keep quiet or die, N.C. dad told girl

Wednesday

Mar 31, 2010 at 12:01 AMMar 31, 2010 at 10:12 AM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Police yesterday said a North Carolina father sent his daughter to school for two weeks with a dire warning: Tell anyone about your two dead siblings at home, and I'll kill you and your 2-year-old brother, too.

She didn't tell anyone. In fact, police said no one found out the children and their mother were dead until officers came to Kenneth Jermaine Chapman's door Monday night to check on his wife because her uncle hadn't heard from her for a while.

When police arrived, Chapman went upstairs and sent the 10-year-old girl and her half brother outside. He shot at officers from the top of the stairs, police said. Then came more gunshots.

Inside, officers found Chapman dead. The bodies of his wife's teenage daughter and the couple's baby daughter were in a locked bedroom. A few hours later, authorities found Chapman's wife dead at a larger apartment the couple moved out of a few weeks ago.

Investigators said the surviving girl told them her dad and stepmom argued two weeks ago, and she didn't see 34-year-old Nateesha Ward Chapman again. That night, she heard her 13-year-old stepsister Na'Jhae Parker scream, then gunshots. Her half sister, 13-month-old Nakyiah Jael Chapman, started screaming too. Then more gunshots. Dad came out, locked the door and pointed the gun at the girl.

Police said the girl told her father, "Don't kill me." He said he wouldn't because she was his first-born daughter - nor would he kill the 2-year-old, his first-born son. But he said he'd kill them if she told anyone.

"Her bravery and composure was truly remarkable," said Capt. Paul Zinkann of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. "She, her little brother are with family members and are being cared for now."

Court records show an eviction notice was served on the apartment where Nateesha Ward Chapman's body was found, but they shed little other light on whether the family was having financial trouble.

Investigators are still trying to figure out not only why Kenneth Chapman killed his family, but why he tried to hide it for weeks and acted like nothing happened.